| Rosh Online update brings the pain via challenging endgame dungeons Posted: 26 Jan 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons Free-to-play fantasy MMO Rosh Online is flush with its first major content update. The game's level cap is jumping from 55 to 65, and two new maps (Lupinel Chapel Catacomb and the first two floors of Sentryheil Tower) are now available to adventurers across the lands of Asmara. The new maps aren't for the faint of heart, as Ignited Games has populated them with "daunting quests and nightmarish boss monsters." Both dungeons are designed for endgame players, with the Catacombs targeted at level 56 and up, and the Tower providing something to do for players at 61 and above. The game's latest update also adds new enchantment items to help with the increased difficulty of the new content, and Ignited has expanded the item shop with "a host of new gear." [Source: Ignited Games press release]  Rosh Online update brings the pain via challenging endgame dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Spacetime's Dark Legends mobile vampire MMO available Q1 2012 Posted: 26 Jan 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Mobile, Casual We've reported previously on Spacetime Studios' new Dark Legends vampire MMO, but today we've got a launch window for you. The game will be available in the first quarter of 2012, and it represents the latest entry in the company's mobile Legends series which includes Pocket Legends and Star Legends. Dark Legends features new gameplay tweaks, including more action via charge attacks and the ability to drain foes. There's also more of a focus on narrative thanks to something Spacetime calls an "interactive storybook" made from both missions and cutscenes. More info will be released at this year's Game Developer's Conference in early March. [Source: Spacetime Studios press release] Spacetime's Dark Legends mobile vampire MMO available Q1 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two) Posted: 26 Jan 2012 07:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Asheron's Call, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Guild Wars, Sword of the New World, Star Trek Online, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Humor, Runes of Magic, Allods Online, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous The last time on the Perfect Ten, disaster struck the good ship Poseidon and the surviving readers were running out of air as they tried to escape the flipped-over vessel. Also, we were counting down the top 20 MMO themes, but that's of small consolation to the soon-to-be bereaved friends and families, don't you think? Because we play these games extensively, it's not uncommon for MMO music -- and themes -- to become vilified by the sheer number of times we've heard them. That's a little unfair to a three-minute piece of soundtrack that slaves every day to feed his wife and kids, doing the best he can in a trying situation. So perhaps we can put aside melodic oversaturation to look at these tracks anew, shall we? With half of them out of the way, it's time to look into the elite of the elite: the 10 best MMO themes of all time. According to me. A guy you don't know. You've got goosebumps, don't you? Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two) The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Final Fantasy XIV adds direct subscription options Posted: 26 Jan 2012 06:00 AM PST |
| The Daily Grind: Do you want a 'fair' fight? Posted: 26 Jan 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, The Daily Grind Fair is a four-letter word. I mean, literally it is, you can count them if you like. It's a figurative four-letter word too, especially when it comes to MMO design and PvP. What's unfair to some is smart tactics to others, and the subjectivity here is responsible for a large part of the rancor that underlies PvP discourse. Funcom's Craig Morrison recently expounded on the subject via his personal blog, and among the interesting nuggets up for discussion was the notion of a fair fight (and more specifically, whether MMO players actually want one). Some do and some don't, of course, but the more important question seems to be what is a "fair" fight? Can it even be defined, let alone coded? Morrison writes that "most people simply don't like being fodder for a dominating force. They don't like to be bullied or out-muscled by a force that the game mechanics have allowed to have a clear position of dominance." He's right, but what's left unsaid is that everyone has the same opportunity to take advantage of those game mechanics. What say you, Massively readers? Do you want a "fair" fight? If so, how do you define the word in this particular context?  Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!The Daily Grind: Do you want a 'fair' fight? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| NCsoft files TERA-related lawsuit against Bluehole and En Masse Posted: 25 Jan 2012 08:50 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Legal, TERA It's been a long road to completion for En Masse Entertainment and its upcoming TERA MMO. If NCsoft has its way in court, it might be even longer. MMO Culture reports that NCsoft filed a lawsuit earlier this month stating that a group of its employees quit the company and went on to found Bluehole Studio ( TERA's original Korean developer). In doing so, the former employees allegedly stole "copious amounts of confidential and proprietary NCsoft information, computer software, hardware, and artwork relating to Lineage 3" and used it to produce TERA. The employees were convicted of stealing trade secrets by a Korean court in 2009, and the convictions were "mostly upheld by an appellate court." NCsoft filed a Korean civil complaint against Bluehole in 2010 and won damages and an injunction, both of which were subsequently overturned by an appellate court. Despite the fact that both criminal and civil litigation is still pending, Bluehole launched the Korean version of TERA in early 2011. En Masse (Bluehole's American subsidiary) is scheduled to launch the U.S. version in May of 2012. NCsoft files TERA-related lawsuit against Bluehole and En Masse originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Newest version of GTA mod bring us one step closer to a GTA MMO Posted: 25 Jan 2012 07:00 PM PST Filed under: Culture, Crime, Miscellaneous If you're a fan of the classic Grand Theft Auto games (the popular ones, not the older ones that nobody played), then we may have some good news for you as an MMO player. A new update has been released for the Multi Theft Auto mod (v1.3) that introduces voice chat, bringing us that much closer to a true GTA MMO. The wildly popular mod for GTA: San Andreas adds multiplayer functionality to the original Rockstar game, which was released just over seven years ago. It also includes a full map editor, dedicated Windows server package, and everything else you need to rat-a-tat-tat your friends in a simulated Dr. Dre album setting. Sound like a good time? Check out a video sample after the jump, and head over to the official website for more info. Continue reading Newest version of GTA mod bring us one step closer to a GTA MMO Newest version of GTA mod bring us one step closer to a GTA MMO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free Realms shows off a new player condo Posted: 25 Jan 2012 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Free Realms, Kids Housing is one of those MMO features that's beloved by some, disliked by others, and sadly not nearly as common as it once was. Free Realms has had housing for quite some time, of course, but the development team apparently hasn't felt that player introductions to same have really been up to snuff. So that's why players new and old will be gifted with a new Wilds Condo in the near future, a slice of housing that should give a much better idea of how fun the system can be. Hosted by development artist Misty Michelle, the preview video just past the cut gives players an idea of what's expanded with the new condo. Players will get a lawn, more options to decorate, and more vertical space in the front yard to build a truly impressive dwelling. If that sounds like your sort of thing, take a look at the full trailer to see some of what you can do with your improved starter home right from the start in Free Realms.Continue reading Free Realms shows off a new player condo Free Realms shows off a new player condo originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs Posted: 25 Jan 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous Right now, there's a small war going on in our house. It's winter, we're all cooped up inside, and we're interested in different games. What's particularly interesting is that my kids will tolerate most of the games I play and join in, except for one: Star Wars: The Old Republic. They aren't remotely interested in it, and any time I fire it up, they push back by demanding their favorite game, which is Minecraft. It got me thinking about why kids would prefer a 16-bit, block-shaped world to a glitzy, voiced-over, multi-million dollar title. Adult gamers love to hash out why they love one game over another, but what makes games appealing from a kid's perspective? Furthermore, we often see differences in kid-friendly MMOs and their features compared to games for grown ups, but can those features be improved? Continue reading MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Issue 22 is all juiced out Posted: 25 Jan 2012 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Patches, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter On Christmas, Ms. Lady and I received a power juicer. This wasn't a bad present by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a present that left us momentarily baffled. We hadn't asked for a power juicer, we didn't feel a great need for a power juicer, and we weren't even sure exactly what to do with a power juicer. (Make juice, obviously, but beyond that?) It was a great present but one that struck us as so far out of left field that we really weren't quite sure how to use it at first, much less what it would offer us. Issue 22 of City of Heroes strikes me in much the same way. It's not that the update is bad or unwanted or unnecessary; it's that the entire thing is essentially aimed in a direction away from my own playstyle. I imagine a lot of free players are going to run into the same issue because even though it's being touted as the game's newest free update, there's precious little in there that's actually changed on the free side. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Issue 22 is all juiced out A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Issue 22 is all juiced out originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EVE Online prepares the schedule for the next Council of Stellar Management Posted: 25 Jan 2012 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, News items, Sandbox EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management is about to change seats once again. On April 4th, the current council's term will expire, meaning that it's time for a new council to be formed among the game's players. CCP Games is starting the process for election early, posting a full timetable of the upcoming election as well as the requirements for candidacy. Applications for candidacy will be open from February 8th through the 22nd, followed by nominations until the 29th, with the election proper running between March 7th and March 21st. Thinking about throwing your hat into the ring? Eligible players must be 21 years old or older by April 4th, able to travel to CCP's headquarters in Iceland, and have an EVE Online account older than 30 days. Anyone eligible will also be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, since the Council of Stellar Management frequently receives information not yet available to the general playerbase. Even if you're not interested in running yourself, it's going to be interesting for EVE players to take part in the election once again. EVE Online prepares the schedule for the next Council of Stellar Management originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Star Trek Online dev diary details new Odyssey vessel Posted: 25 Jan 2012 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play If you're looking for more details on Star Trek Online's new Odyssey-class starship, the game's official website has them. Acquiring one is as easy as leveling a Federation character to five, since Cryptic is handing out the new hulls for free in celebration of STO's second anniversary. You'll need a Vice Admiral rank to pilot the ship, and if you're a bit behind, you'll receive an inventory item that can be redeemed later. Cryptic says the Odyssey class is "the pinnacle of Federation starship design" and the largest vessel ever built. The ship can operate for lengthy periods without resupply, and it also features universal ensign and lieutenant commander bridge officer stations that can be operated by any bridge officer class. Star Trek Online dev diary details new Odyssey vessel originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| BioWare's Gabe Amatangelo speaks on faction imbalance, UI customization, Ops, and more Posted: 25 Jan 2012 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Interviews, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic Star Wars: The Old Republic has had a bit of a rocky time with some post-launch hiccups, and it's at that point in time when players begin to start picking on the game's flaws. Despite, or perhaps because of, this turbulence, one of the game's lead designers, Gabe Amatangelo, sat down with John Bain -- better known as Total Biscuit -- for an interview. Throughout the course of the interview, the pair cover issues ranging from the obvious (what is BioWare doing to address faction imbalance?) to the more abstract (would BioWare ever consider causing skills to act differently in PvP than in PvE?), and Amatangelo has some rather interesting answers. Bain mentions the game's bracketless PvP and asks if the studio might consider further bracketing. Amatangelo replies that BioWare "would not go to further bracketing without opening up the pools of players, and I guess you can infer what you will from that," making a rather overt reference to cross-server PvP. For all this and more, listen to the full interview after the cut. Continue reading BioWare's Gabe Amatangelo speaks on faction imbalance, UI customization, Ops, and more BioWare's Gabe Amatangelo speaks on faction imbalance, UI customization, Ops, and more originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Free for All: Looking for experiences, not challenges Posted: 25 Jan 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Humor, Free for All When I was around 20, I used to watch my girlfriend's younger brother play Nintendo games. It was a pretty intense scenario. He would become so angry when a boss fight took away one of his lives or when a leap at a moving platform would fail that he often chucked that poor controller at the wall. It happened again years later after we'd graduated to the internet and PC gaming. The strangest thing is that he would return to the challenge over and over until it either broke his will or his device or he finally conquered the challenge. I never quite got it. Surely such frustration sucked any enjoyment out of the entire process? I tend to be more lazy when it comes to my digital adventure. I hate to repeat content, and I would rather leave the raiding and boss fights to those with more patience or to those who simply have a desire to win that matches their tolerance for frustrating situations. I would rather become a trader, crafter, roleplayer, explorer, or even adventurer in certain titles. Just spare me the overwhelming challenges while I game. Continue reading Free for All: Looking for experiences, not challenges Free for All: Looking for experiences, not challenges originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Dark Age of Camelot storms the castle with Patch 1.111 Posted: 25 Jan 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Patches, PvP People of Midgard, Albion, and Hibernia -- fight for glory! The call to battle is strong and never-ending, and Mythic is looking to your continued diligence and thirst for blood to keep Dark Age of Camelot's PvP raging. For its part, Mythic has delivered the latest tantalizing update to the game today, Patch 1.111. To keep the battlefield skirmishes hot, the studio has added new RvR missions to the Frontiers. This should hopefully cause a greater amount of conflict as players strive to accomplish their tasks. Patch 1.111 also includes a host of class tweaks (including a huge buff to Thanes), additional controllable pets for Animists, and new Atlantis quests. These quests start at level 30 and will help players garner more Atlantean Glass for their artifacts, which should help ease the pain of grinding out Master Levels. The patch is currently live on all servers. Dark Age of Camelot storms the castle with Patch 1.111 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| City of Heroes rejoices in F2P success even as it mourns Statesman's passing Posted: 25 Jan 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Business models, Events, in-game, Interviews, Free-to-play While Paragon Studios is being tight-lipped about exact numbers since City of Heroes' free-to-play conversion, Lead Designer Matt "Positron" Miller has said that the company has been "blown away" by the results. According to an interview at GameZone, City of Heroes has witnessed not only an "incredible number" of subscribers, but also a tidal wave of returning and first-time players curious about the new model. Miller cites the popularity of the Paragon Rewards program as a key factor in Freedom's success: "We've really broadened the idea of what a free game can be to a lot of people." On a more somber note, Positron delivered a touching eulogy for the recently departed Statesman on the City of Heroes website. "Statesman's hand was a hand that lifted us up with inspiration," he wrote. "His back was the strong back of a sheltering protector. His wisdom, that of an insightful teacher and leader. His confidence, driven by a profound optimism about the human spirit." Massively recently spoke with Paragon Studios about this momentous in-game event. City of Heroes rejoices in F2P success even as it mourns Statesman's passing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| ArenaNet unveils the Jotun race of Guild Wars 2 Posted: 25 Jan 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lore, Guild Wars 2, Races Guild Wars 1 players are familiar with the Jotun race, mostly as "the giant creatures that won't stop KDing me," but they're going to have a continuing and more involved presence in Guild Wars 2, according to the ArenaNet blog. Ree Soesbee took a close look at this race in the newest ArenaNet blog post, "The Savage Pride of the Jotun." In the post, she explains how the Jotun have essentially devolved over the years thanks to infighting: "Over the centuries of their existence, the Jotun have fallen far from their state of grace, losing command of technology and magic they once utilized, and remembering their place as kings of the land only in legend and story." The post delves more deeply into the past and present effects of this change, then switches gears for a behind-the-scenes look at the race's creation. The full post is a good read for anyone interested in the game from a lore or development perspective. ArenaNet unveils the Jotun race of Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| MechWarrior Online unveils the classic CN9-A Centurion BattleMech Posted: 25 Jan 2012 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, MechWarrior Online Giant robot fans everywhere are getting pumped up for Piranha Games' upcoming MechWarrior Online, but what's a MechWarrior game without lots of badass BattleMechs? Boring, that's what. Fortunately, however, there's plenty of giant robot lovin' to go around in MWO, and today the team is revealing the newest (though we use that term loosely) addition to the roster: the Centurion. The CN9-A Centurion is a long-time favorite of anyone who has hung around in the MechWarrior universe for long enough, and it's easy enough to see why. Armed with weapons suitable for any range, the Centurion is a force to be reckoned with no matter where he is on the battlefield. Whether it's launching LRM-10 missiles across the battlefield or wrecking someone's day personally with its AC/10 autocannon and medium lasers, you can bet the Centurion will be making a triumphant return in MechWarrior Online. For the full details on the newly revealed BattleMech, just jump on over to the game's official site. [Thanks to nimzy for the tip!] MechWarrior Online unveils the classic CN9-A Centurion BattleMech originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Conquer Online adding new 'hardcore' PvP features Posted: 25 Jan 2012 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play At the beginning of the month, NetDragon's F2P fantasy title Conquer Online received a large new update in the form of the Invasion of Pirates expansion, but the team isn't done yet. The devs are now adding a number of new (surprisingly hardcore) features to the Gale Shallow PvP zone. While players will receive no PK points in this zone, the chance of plundering a fallen enemy's armor will be tripled, meaning that life and death are a matter of great consequence. And finally, to top it off, a number of powerful mobs in the zone will grant players high-level dragon souls should they prove themselves worthy in combat. For more information on the upcoming update and to get in the game yourself, just click on through the link to Conquer Online's official site.
[Source: NetDragon press release] Conquer Online adding new 'hardcore' PvP features originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Secret World's Blue Mountain revealed [Updated] Posted: 25 Jan 2012 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World Funcom has taken the wraps off another locale for The Secret World, and this time the focus is on an area called Blue Mountain (no, not those Blue Mountains, Tolkien fans). The location is just west of Kingsmouth, and it boasts a deep, dark history that includes some sort of "desperate battle fought [...] long ago." Presently, the mountain is home to the Wabanaki native American tribe, which has fallen on hard times due to the greed and machinations of the modern age. Funcom says that an ancient evil is sleeping beneath the rock, and draugs, wendigo, and golems are overrunning the surrounding areas as a result. There's also a substantial government/military presence in the area, and players will be tasked with helping various agencies as well as reliving the mountain's dark past through the powerful magic of the Wabanaki tribe. [Update]: Funcom released an accompanying video late yesterday evening, and you can view it after the cut. Continue reading The Secret World's Blue Mountain revealed [Updated] The Secret World's Blue Mountain revealed [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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